Poblet Abbey Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet
Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet

Religion
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Leadership	Abott Octavi Vilà i Mayo
Location
Location	Vimbodí i Poblet (Tarragona), Catalonia, Spain
Location in Catalonia
Architecture
Architect(s)	Arnau Bargués [ca; es]
Architectural type	Monastery
Architectural style	Catalan Gothic

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: (i), (iv)
Inscription	1991 (15th Session)
Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	13 July 1921
Reference no.	RI-51-0000197

Poblet Abbey, also known as the Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet, is a very old Cistercian monastery. It is found at the foot of the Prades Mountains in Catalonia, Spain. Monks from France started it in 1151. The main architect who designed parts of it was Arnau Bargués [ca; es].

This monastery was the first of three important monasteries in Catalonia. They are sometimes called the "Cistercian triangle." These monasteries helped to make the region stronger in the 12th century. The other two monasteries are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus.

Why Poblet Abbey Is Important
Kings and Queens Buried at Poblet
How the Monastery Was Ruined and Rebuilt
Abbots of Poblet
Images for kids
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Why Poblet Abbey Is Important

Poblet was one of the two main burial places for the kings of the Crown of Aragon. The other was the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña. Many important kings and queens are buried here. Their tombs often have beautiful alabaster statues. Kings' statues have lion sculptures at their feet, while queens' statues have dogs.

Peter IV of Aragon (who lived from 1319 to 1387) made a special promise. He said that all future kings of Aragon must be buried at Poblet. Only Ferdinand II of Aragon did not follow this rule. He was buried in Granada after his kingdoms joined with the Crown of Castile.

When the monastery was at its busiest, more than 300 monks lived there. They also had many "Cistercian farms." These farms were run by lay brothers, who were not monks but helped with the monastery's work. They grew crops and managed forests. The monastery buildings cover a large area, about 12,000 square meters.

Kings and Queens Buried at Poblet

Many important royal figures are buried at Poblet Monastery. These include:

Alfonso II (died 1196)
James I (died 1276)
Peter IV (died 1387), and his first three wives: Maria of Navarre, Eleanor of Portugal, and Eleanor of Sicily
John I (died 1396), and his wives: Martha of Armagnac and Violant of Bar
Martin (died 1410), and his first wife, Maria de Luna
Ferdinand I (died 1416), and his wife, Eleanor of Alburquerque
Alfonso V (died 1458)
John II (died 1479), and his second wife, Joana Enríquez

Other notable people buried here include the Hungarian queen Beatrice of Naples (died 1508). The tombs of the royals were fixed up by the Catalan sculptor Frederic Marés in 1948.

How the Monastery Was Ruined and Rebuilt

The monastery faced hard times and was damaged during the First Carlist War. In 1835, it was officially closed down. This happened because of a government decision called the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal, during the rule of Isabella II of Spain. This decision ended monastic life at Poblet.

On July 24 of that same year, the monastery was attacked. People from the government and angry crowds took valuable paintings and furniture. Parts of the monastery were also burned down.

After these events, the monastery fell into disrepair and became a ruin. Some of the main roofs collapsed. The tombs of the rulers of the Crown of Aragon were damaged. The remains of the royals were moved to the Cathedral of Tarragona for safety. This was thanks to the help of Rev. Antoni Serret from the nearby town of L'Espluga.

Luckily, the monastery was started again in 1940 by Italian monks of the same order. They began to repair and rebuild it. Near the church entrance, one building has been kept in a ruined state. It serves as a reminder of the damage that happened. The remains of the old Royal House of Aragon were put back into new tombs.

Poblet is part of the Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon. This group also includes Santa Maria de Solius and other convents. The Abbot of Poblet is the leader of this group. Today, 29 monks live and work at Poblet.

Poblet Monastery became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. This means it is considered very important to the world's history and culture. The altar, made in 1527, was sculpted by Damián Forment. In 2010, the Spanish architect Mariano Bayón designed a guesthouse for the monastery.